My weight loss update: a leetle reality check thanks to selfies and Youtube

Working on my Youtube channel recently, I found this little gem from 5 years ago. And while it made my toes curl to see how how heavy I was in 2011, it was also gratifying to note ----> that I am no longer that fat (let's just call it what it is). In fact, I've shaved off 10 of the 15 pounds I regained.


So that was a wakeup call but not just about weight loss. I noticed how awkward and lacking in confidence I was. Is it because I was fatter? Have I always been so inarticulate or was I just camera shy and paranoid? I'd hazard a guess that few people are super comfortable videotaping themselves. I tend to be overly self-critical.  And that's what I want to encourage you to do if you're trying to lose weight. As embarrassing as you may find pictures, look at them. As much as you might hate the camera, befriend the selfie. It will help you to see yourself as others see you. It's harder to hide from weight problems if they're staring you in the face. And it's easier see progress on weight loss in the camera lens!

Love you all! Remember, I'm pulling for ya!

Whole grain flaxseed wrap-wiches: low-carb, high protein and fiber weight loss recipes

My  readers know by now that I've lost 100 pounds using food swaps and self-styled strategies. I share these tips and recipes on this blog. So today, we're talking about wraps. Wraps (as in sandwiches on flatbread) have a cult following weight loss because dieters mistakenly assume they are lower in calories and carbs. But a wrap sandwich is often more highly caloric because flatbreads are not created equal. Even the "veggie" ones which appear to be full of green vegetable goodness are in fact sugary carb-laden and dyed green *headdesk*.

So here are low-calorie wraps using lavash and flatbread that are low-carb, high protein and high fiber and a good source of ALA omega 3 (MUFAs). These have no saturated or transfats and only 1 gram of sugar. My three go-to brands are Joseph's, Flatout and Fit & Active--a comparable, much less expensive Aldi version of Flatout. Aldi is $2.29 for six breads compared to $3.99 for Flatout. 

<---As you can see, my package is all gone, so yeah...

They have an amazing 1 gram of protein per 10 calories (90-100 calories per wrap) plus multi-grain, multi-seed flax fiber. Enjoy as a breakfast sammy (hate that word but hey, it's very popular and when in Rome... :)

Low carb breakfast wrap-wich

1 Flatout, Fit & Active flax flatbread or half a Joseph's lavash 

1 tsp. feta cheese (spread from solid variety like cream cheese

sliced tomato

spring mix or baby spinach

whole grain or horseradish mustard

4 oz. curried pan-seared boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced (sprinkle with curry powder, turmeric, ginger and green Thai curry powder and saute in oil-free ceramic pan)

Roll or fold and enjoy! 

200 calories total

Beans, beans the not-so-magical fruit--why Dr. Oz and paleo diet nix beans

I've been exploring the paleo diet more fully, recently. I never quite got why legumes/peas/beans were verboten. The caveman diet includes foods that were or can be hunted/gathered--meat, locally sourced vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit. Beans are a fruit, sort of,  so what's the prob? It seems our forebears would not have eaten beans and legumes because they grow a naturally toxic substance to ward off insects. Eaten raw, they're darn near poisonous.  Here's the scariest part--yanno how everyone's on a no-peanut kick because so many people supposedly have a peanut allergy? (They don't--real anaphlaxis allergies are super-rare. Most allergics are intolerant at best. And if you avoid foods you're not allergic or intolerant to, you give yourself an allergy. Same with gluten-free, struth!)

But anyhoo--scary part: Peanuts are lowest on the legume chart, toxin-wise. Beans top the list. So, is this why I get digestive cramping and that not-so-pleasant gaseous issue after eating them? That's partly the fiber talking but could it also be my body saying, uh-uh, no good.

But I don't plan to eat them raw--and therein lies the rub, or part of it. Cavemen would not cook beans or nuts. Meat, arguably, when fire was discovered and early people found they liked BBQ better than raw. But back to beans. Dr. Oz did the unthinkable warning folks off beans-- vegan/vegetarian is so much healthier, right? Meh. And beans are just as good as meat for protein right? Definitely not. Beans have less protein but also less digestible protein that doesn't give the body what it needs. And legumes cause cause belly fat and bloating. Hmm, reasoned I, belly fat and bloat with little protein--perhaps I'll give this bean-avoidance a try. 

Why Paleo diet nixes 'toxic' beans, legumes, soy, peanuts for obesity weight loss

You're probably hearing a lot about the paleolithic diet of late. Celebrities are jumping on the paleo bandwagon for weight loss and health. It might surprise you to know that legumes, lentils, beans, soy and peanuts aren't paleo. The caveman diet includes safe foods that can be hunted and gathered--meat, locally sourced vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit. So beans are a fruit, so what's the problem? The operative word is "safe" and legumes aren't.   

Diet tip of the day: Superfood kale slaw recipe for weight loss

I have lost 100 pounds using  a variety of diet tips. Some of my favorite weight loss tricks are food swaps. I trade fatty, sugary, salty, junky ingredients for healthier, low-calorie ones. For example, I adore pasta and potato salads and cole slaw. But made the usual way, sloppy with mayo, sugar, etc., they are calorie-bombs. So here's a to-die-for cole slaw recipe you could literally live on. It's vegan, full of superfoods and protein, diabetic, bad fat-free, ketogenic (high in good fatty acids), paleo, low in sodium, sugarfree and a meal in itself. Oh and it's super cheap to make.
<----It's pretty too--see the picture! (Those aren't bugs, lol, but seeds)

I have lost 100 pounds using a variety of diet tips and tricks.  (Those aren't bugs, lol, but seeds)

SUPERFOOD KALE SLAW BOWL

chopped kale with stems removed

coarsely grated carrots

chopped green and purple cabbage

cubed salad cucumbers (much tastier than other cukes)

chopped zucchini

sliced grape tomatoes

cashews and/or walnuts and/or almonds

pumpkin seeds

milled flaxseed

chia seeds

unsweetened dried strawberries, cranberries or blueberries

apple cider, acai or pomegranate vinegar

whole seed, Dijon or horseradish mustard

lemon juice and zest

100% juice, raw honey (omit if making vegan) or blue agave syrup (optional)

Chop, slice, toss ingredients, season to taste with vinegar, mustard juice or honey, and enjoy.

This kale slaw is sweet enough for me without any honey or juice. But you may like it sweeter. Go easy on the juice and dried fruit as they are full of sugar and will spike glucose levels.

Fat-burning breakfast shake recipe for weight loss: Kick butt (and belly fat) with superfoods smoothie

Ya wanna go a few rounds with belly fat and win? I did and lost 100 pounds. Here's my kick-butt--and belly fat--breakfast shake recipe for weight loss. All our superfood super friends join in this smoothie to smooth out cellulite and chop off pounds. And best of all, this weight loss shake tastes delish at only 250 calories! Whip up one of these babies and eat your way to thin with vegan, ketogenic fiber, MUFAs and protein on the go!

Superfoods Smoothie recipe

layer in your smoothie shake maker cup--

kale, spinach or red leaf lettuce
1 scoop plant-based Orgain or other pea protein and greens protein powder
one half seeded, peeled grapefruit
one half cup blueberries fresh or frozen
half Tbsp chia seeds
Tbsp pumpkin seeds
Tbsp milled flaxseed
Tbsp maca powder or cocoa nibs
one envelope Emergen'C
water to top
optional non-Vegan Greek yogurt

Blend, garnish with crudites and enjoy! Reminiscent of an Azacca or Chinook hops IPA, the grapefruit gives it a heaven-on-earth piney flavor which hopheads like myself covet. But don't be scared off, non-beer folks. It's just a hint and only noticeable if you have a hop-forward palate. Slainte!

Maintenance dieting and coping with the dreaded weight loss plateau

(<--was me then---> is me now on the left) After losing 100 pounds, I hit the dreaded diet plateau. I knew it was coming but still wasn't prepared for the frustration. I couldn't seem to get those last 15 pounds off for love nor money. And you know what, I'm still struggling with it 3 years later. BUT (and this is a big but, not big butt, lol, but I digress...sorry, I'm done butting now). Anyhoo, here's what I've found.

I am discouraged about not being able to get the rest of the fat off. But not so frustrated that I want to keep up that ruthless diet I was following. And I discovered that for me, that wasn't even healthy weight loss logic. Here's why.

I'm the classic Type A overachiever. Not that I achieve that much (at least in my own eyes). And that too is part of the problem. I derail my own vision by my harsh self-criticism. I'm never satisfied with my progress. Which is kind of depressing and stressful AND which causes me to retain fat (both anxiety and depression put the body in survival mode which includes storing fat.)

So I'm learning to put things in perspective. I am still losing fat and toning, even after 4 years and several times totally ditching diet. I've gained a small amount back (which is normal) and taken some back off. My clothes fit differently and I can wear smalls and size 4 pants. Best of all, those new healthier, leaner food choices have become habit.

Reading a post in SparkPeople was encouraging, too. It talked about what I've always thought, that we're too number-focused and scale-focused. Maybe even too BMI focused too. According to my BMI, I'm still slightly overweight. But if I wear small clothes. I have dropped 15 dress sizes, have far less fat, fewer bulges, and my clothes fit well. That's what I need to focus on, not those micromanaged 20 pounds.

Probably, the person I have to convince about this is me. Thanks for listening. I hope it helped. Like Red Green says, we're all in this together. Do you have any thoughts on weight loss? Share them in the comments or contact me. <3